10 Best Engine Degreasers of 2023

Whether you’re trying to get the perfect shine in your engine bay or on your wheels, or you’re cleaning up a part to get a gasket on, you want an engine degreaser to help you get the job done.

But while the best engine degreasers make the job extremely quick, easy, and efficient, the wrong ones work just as well as soap and water and are a complete waste of money.

We don’t want you to waste your money on products that don’t work, and that’s why we came up with this guide to break down ten of the best engine degreasers on the market today.

Not only that, but we also came up with a comprehensive buyer’s guide to walk you through everything you need to know when picking one out and when you need to use one. It’s all here for you so just keep reading and we’ll turn you into an engine degreaser expert in no time.

10 Best Engine Degreasers

1. Simple Green – Best Engine Degreaser Overall

• Brand: Simple Green
• Size: 1 gallon

If you’re looking for the best combination of price and quality, we can’t find a better option out there than Simple Green. Not only is it extremely affordable and effective, but it’s an environmentally friendly formula.

It’s biodegradable and non-toxic, making it a great choice for the environment too. Of course, it all comes down to the cleaning power in the end, and Simple Green doesn’t disappoint.

The only real drawback is that it only comes in a concentrated option and you’ll need your own spray bottle. This requires a bit more preparation on your end, but it also helps keep the cost down since you’re not going through as much product.

Simple Green has a gentle scent too so it’s not too overpowering and it’s a nonabrasive formula so it’s perfectly safe to use on all the metal engine components on your vehicle.

It’s a great engine degreaser in just about every way though, so find a great spray bottle and use Simple Green for all your tough jobs.

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2. CRC Citrus Engine Degreaser – Best Budget

• Brand: CRC
• Size: 15 ounces

If you don’t need a ton of engine degreaser and just want a low-cost, extremely effective option, then CRC Citrus Engine Degreaser is an option you’ll want to consider. While you can only get it in a 15-ounce aerosol container, there’s no denying how effective it is.

And since it comes in an aerosol container, it’s easy to use and can even access hard-to-reach places with ease. And while it’s not the largest can, you’re not spending the most for it either.

It’s enough to clean your entire engine bay a time or two, and that’s more than enough for most at-home DIY mechanics.

It’s one of the best engine degreasers out there and you don’t need to spend a ton on it, and that’s a real win-win.

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3. Chemical Guys Signature Series Orange Degreaser – Premium Choice

• Brand: Chemical Guys
• Size: 16 ounces or 1 gallon

Chemical Guys makes some of the best liquid cleaners, degreasers, and just about every other chemical for your car you can think of, so it’s no surprise to find out that they make a great engine degreaser.

However, while Chemical Guys makes some of the best solvents and cleaners out there, they’re also among the most expensive. This Signature Series Orange Degreaser fits that mold perfectly.

It does a great job and is probably the most effective engine degreaser on our list, The good news is that you can purchase a smaller bottle to try it out, and if you like it you can purchase an entire gallon to help drive down the price per ounce.

You’re still going to spend a bit more compared to other options, but you’re also getting the best of the best. In fact, this formula is so powerful you can dilute it to help it go farther, and for most applications, it’ll still do a phenomenal job.

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4. 3D Grand Blast Heavy Duty Degreaser

• Brand: 3D
• Size: 1 gallon

While 3D Grand Blast Heavy Duty Degreaser didn’t crack our top three, it’s still a great choice. The formula itself is extremely effective and it works on all different parts of your engine.

Even better, it’s an environmentally friendly formula. It’s completely biodegradable, so you don’t have to worry about hurting mother nature with this cleaner when you’re just trying to work on your engine.

Another nice perk is that 3D makes this engine degreaser in the United States, so you’re supporting American jobs with every purchase. However, it is a little more expensive than some of the other options on our list, and you’ll still need to purchase a spray bottle to use it in your engine bay.

But while you’re spending a little more, you’re also getting a gallon of the stuff, so it’s not like you’ll need to head out and purchase more anytime soon.

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5. Wash ALL Multi-Purpose Cleaner and Degreaser

• Brand: Aero Cosmetics
• Size: 16 ounces, 32 ounces, or 1 gallon

Rounding out the top half of our list is the Wash ALL Multi-Purpose Cleaner and Degreaser by Aero Cosmetics. As the name implies, you can use this on all kinds of products, and its versatility certainly adds to its appeal.

You can use it on garage floors, countertops, wheels, and of course the engine bay of your vehicle. This means you don’t need to have as many chemicals, solvents, and cleaners around for different things, and this can help declutter your space.

Even better, it does a great job, which is one of the most important factors when you’re picking an engine degreaser. It’s easy to use and you don’t have to worry about diluting it, and the entire formula is biodegradable.

But while all that is great, there’s no denying it’s a more expensive option. And since it’s not a concentrate it won’t last quite as long as other options.

Still, there are three different size options to choose from with this cleaner, so you can start out with a spray bottle and if you like it you can save some money per ounce by purchasing it by the gallon.

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6. Griot’s Garage Engine Cleaner

• Brand: Griot’s Garage
• Size: 1 gallon

Griot’s Garage Engine Cleaner is another engine cleaner that comes in a larger size so you don’t have to purchase it as often. But like many of the gallon-sized options on our list, Griot’s Garage leaves finding the spray bottle to use the stuff up to you.

Still, once you get the spray bottle it’s easy to use, especially considering you don’t even have to worry about diluting the stuff. The cleaner itself does a great job of cleaning up the engine bay, wheels, or just about any other part of your vehicle you use it on, making it a great all-purpose automotive cleaner.

The tradeoff with this cleaner is the price though. Since you don’t dilute the formula, it doesn’t last as long, and you’re spending a little more per gallon compared to many of the other options on our list.

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7. Crystal Simple Green

• Brand: Crystal
• Size: 1 gallon

While Simple Green might be in the name of this formula, it’s not the same product as our top choice. This option comes from a Company called Crystal, and while it’s a good formula, it’s not quite as good as our top choice.

However, it’s a more affordable option and it offers many of the same perks as Simple Green. Not only is it available for a great price, but it’s both non-toxic and biodegradable so you don’t have to worry about the environmental impact.

It’s also easy to use, but you do have to premix it. But while this is undoubtedly a little more work, it also helps it last longer.

Still, while it’s an industrial cleaner it’s not quite as effective as our top choice, and you’ll still need to purchase an additional spray bottle to mix it and use it on your vehicle. You could do far worse, but you can also do better than Crystal’s Simple Green.

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8. Sonax Engine Degreaser

• Brand: Sonax
• Size: 16.9 ounces

Sonax might not be the largest name in the industry, but if you went solely by the effectiveness of the cleaner it probably should be. It’s a great engine degreaser and cleaner that you can use to remove some of the most stubborn grime and grease spots with, and it’s extremely easy to use.

It comes in a spray bottle so all you need to do is point and pull the trigger to start the cleaning process. It’s not an American product, but with German roots you know it’s a high-quality product that’s great for cars.

But the real problem with this product has nothing to do with its effectiveness or how easy it is to use, it all comes down to the price. You can only get it in the smaller size, and it’s far more expensive per ounce when you break it down that way.

In fact, when you compare it per ounce to some of the gallon options on our list, it’s more than ten times as expensive. If you get a bottle of this stuff, save it for the toughest jobs and use something a little more affordable for everyday use.

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9. Oil Eater Original Cleaner and Degreaser

• Brand: Oil Eater
• Size: 1 gallon

Oil Eater might sound like a knockoff product, and in some ways it is, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t do a great job. It only comes in a gallon formula and it’s a concentrate, but that means it will last for quite some time.

Even better, you don’t have to spend a ton for it so you’re really getting a great deal. You will need to invest in a spray bottle since this doesn’t come with one, but you can usually find them for a dollar or two.

The Oil Eater degreaser itself is extremely effective and it’s from a biodegradable formula, so you’re not hurting the environment when you use it either.

It’s a powerful yet effective engine degreaser. In fact, you can use it to clean up the engine bay, but you can also use it to help clean up oil stains from your clothes! It’s extremely versatile so you can use it anywhere you need it.

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10. SuperClean Multi-Surface All-Purpose Cleaner Degreaser Spray

• Brand: SuperClean
• Size: 32 ounces

SuperClean Multi-Surface All-Purpose Cleaner Degreaser Spray is the last option on our list, but it’s also one of the most affordable choices out there.

But not only is it available for a great price, but since it comes in a spray bottle you can use it right away and it’s easy. The formula itself is also biodegradable, and it’s a concentrated formula so if you want to dilute it a bit to get it to last longer you can.

However, the reason it fell to the bottom of our list is that it’s simply not as effective as some of the other engine degreasers on our list. It’ll get the job done, but you’ll need to put in a little more elbow grease compared to the other options on our list.

It’s not perfect, but at this price it doesn’t have to be. If you’re on a shoestring budget SuperClean Multi-Surface All-Purpose Cleaner Degreaser Spray might be just what you need.

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Engine Degreaser Buyer’s Guide

Now that you know a little more about some of the best engine degreasers out there, it’s time to dive into everything else you need to know. Do you really need to degrease your engine, how do you do it, and what makes engine degreasers a valuable choice?

We’ll break all that and more down for you here.

Do You Need to Degrease Your Engine?

While some proponents of engine degreasers tell you that you need to degrease your engine and clear out the debris and clutter to keep the engine from overheating, that’s simply not the case.

While degreasing and detailing your vehicle’s engine certainly makes it look good, it’s not something you need to do. You do need to clean up certain parts when completing repair jobs and replacing gaskets, but general degreasing is not an actual requirement.

When Do You Need an Engine Degreaser?

While you don’t need to add an engine degreaser to your regular maintenance intervals for your car, that doesn’t mean there aren’t times that you’ll need to get an engine degreaser.

The most common time you need an engine degreaser is when you’re completing repairs on the engine. When you’re taking things apart, you don’t want to have oil and other gunk working its way into the wrong parts of the engine, and an engine degreaser is a great way to ensure this gunk doesn’t fall into the wrong places when you take components off.

Another time you’ll need to degrease your engine is after you have the components off and you’re trying to install a new gasket. Gaskets work best when you can put them on a clean and level surface, and degreasing the part is a great way to ensure you get the optimal fitment.

This is even more important if you use an RTV gasket instead of a traditional silicone or rubber gasket. A quick cleaning with an engine degreaser goes a long way in ensuring you do the job right the first time.

Advantages of an Engine Degreaser

While you don’t necessarily need an engine degreaser for the above scenario, it certainly makes the job a lot easier. If you don’t use an engine degreaser you’re stuck using soap and water. This might seem like a perfectly acceptable solution, but a few things will make this a bit more challenging for you.

First, it doesn’t break down grime and dirt to help get it off your engine. If it’s a newer area it might work, but for things that are extremely stuck on it’s going to take a lot of elbow grease.

But the more important issue is that oil and water don’t mix. If the grime has an oil component, the water wants to just sit on top of it, making it extremely ineffective. You want something that can mix into the oil, lift it off the engine or wheels, and then allow you to wash it off with ease.

This is where engine degreasers thrive, and it’s why you want one when you’re working on detailing your engine or your wheels.

Tips for Cleaning Your Engine

If you’re trying to detail your engine with an engine degreaser you can save yourself a lot of heartache and frustration by going about it the right way.

Start by removing any large chunks of debris. You don’t want to try to use an engine degreaser over twigs, leaves, or other foreign materials, so start by removing all this stuff from the area you’re cleaning.

Next, apply your engine degreaser to the area you’re trying to clean. Let it sit for a few minutes before moving on to the next step.

After the degreaser has had some time to sit on the mess, get a brush without wire and agitate the area. Scrub the area until the degreaser and the mess starts to mix, and then rinse it off. Rinse it off until you get a clear view, and then repeat as necessary to clean the area.

Once you finish cleaning, dry off the area and you should be good to go!

How Much Degreaser Do You Need?

The last thing you want to do is get into a job only to realize you don’t have enough of something and you need to put another order in. The good news is that if you’re only completing one job you any of the degreasers on our list should be more than enough.

In fact, unless you plan on keeping up with the detailing of your engine bay and wheels there’s no reason to purchase more than a single bottle or can of engine degreaser.

However, if you plan on using it regularly to keep the engine and wheels in pristine condition you should get a gallon container. While you won’t go through the other stuff all that regularly, you will go through it and purchasing in bulk will save you money in the long run.

Just ensure you have somewhere to store the chemicals in-between uses!

Concentrated vs Ready-To-Use

When you’re looking at engine degreasers, there are two main types to consider, concentrated and ready-to-use. As the name implies, ready-to-use engine degreasers are just that. You point the degreaser at the engine or wheels and spray.

However, while these options are more convenient, they don’t last as long and typically cost more per usable ounce.

The other option is a concentrated formula. While you can use a concentrated formula without diluting it with water first, we don’t recommend it. The only real issue is that it won’t last as long this way.

Typically, you can dilute these formulas by mixing equal parts engine degreaser and water. This means if you get one gallon of concentrated engine formula, it’s the same as purchasing two gallons of a ready-to-use bottle; you’re just not paying extra for the water.

So, if you see a one-gallon option of a ready-to-use spray and a one-gallon option of a concentrated formula for the same price, the concentrated option is the better financial deal.

However, most concentrated formulas don’t come with a spray bottle, so you will need to purchase one yourself before you can easily use it.

Going With a Biodegradable Option

Most of the options on our list are completely biodegradable and non-toxic, and that’s no accident. Getting a non-toxic engine degreaser is important, and it’s not because we think you’ll drink the stuff.

However, unless you’re using the engine degreaser in a shop that sends all the drain water directly to a water treatment plant, getting something that won’t hurt the local wildlife or greenery in your area if it seeps into the ground is a big deal.

Getting a biodegradable and non-toxic option is great for the local environment and the degreasers are just as effective as the toxic, non-biodegradable, options. It’s a simple step you can take and you don’t have to sacrifice anything to do it.

How Much Does It Cost To Detail an Engine Bay?

Perhaps you’re debating getting an engine degreaser and doing the job yourself or having a professional shop do it for you. If that’s you then you should know that a typical engine detailing costs.

It really depends on how in-depth the cleaning goes, but for an in-depth cleaning, you can expect to spend anywhere between $100 and $500. While there are services available for less, they typically only include a surface cleaning, which generally only covers the very top of the engine.

Furthermore, many shops only include those lower-cost surface cleaning as part of a larger detailing package. While these services do a great job of keeping your car clean, you’re certainly paying for the convenience.

How Long Does It Take To Detail an Engine Bay?

Once again, this depends on how in-depth of a job you’re trying to complete. If you want to clean everything from top to bottom, it’s going to take around an hour.

However, another important factor you need to consider is how dirty the engine is. If you stay on top of things and detail the engine every few months, it’s typically a pretty easy job.

But if it’s been a few years since the last time someone detailed the engine it’s probably going to take a bit longer. In these situations, you can expect to spend at least an hour detailing the engine, and sometimes it can take significantly longer.

Can You Use Brake Cleaner on Your Engine?

While you can use brake cleaner on some engine components instead of an engine degreaser, you need to be extremely careful when doing this. That’s because while brake cleaner does a good job of helping to clean things up, it’s also hydroscopic.

That means it readily absorbs moisture, and it’s going to do this from everything it touches. This is great when you’re working on the brake system and moisture creates all sorts of problems, but around other components, it can be a problem.

For instance, the rubber gaskets between components do a great job, but brake cleaner can cause them to dry out and crack. When this happens, they’ll start to leak and you’ll need to replace them. Other components you need to worry about include rubber hoses, electrical connectors, and more.

We only recommend using a brake cleaner to clean engine components when they’re not on your vehicle and you need a clean surface before installing a new gasket. But even then, thoroughly clean off all the brake cleaner before installing the gasket or you might end up shortening the lifespan of the gasket before you even put it on your vehicle!

Another Way To Clean Your Engine

While engine degreasers are a great way to clean your vehicle’s engine bay, they’re not the only option you have at your disposal. Another popular method is to pressure wash the engine.

If you have an extremely dirty engine, this is a great first step before moving onto an engine degreaser, but it won’t give you the same signature shine an engine degreaser will. Still, this is a great option if you just fixed something like an oil leak on your vehicle.

When you’re using a pressure washer to clean your engine, avoid getting too close to electrical components or connectors as the high water pressure can damage these components. You don’t have to worry about them getting wet though.

Work from the top down, that way you’re working with gravity instead of fighting it. Give everything a few passes to get everything off, then give it plenty of time to dry off before rechecking for problem spots.

What’s the best way to degrease an engine?

The best way to degrease an engine is by using a detergent that is designed to break down oils and greases. You can buy an engine degreaser at most auto stores.
Spray the degreaser on the engine and let it sit for a few minutes. Then use a brush or sponge to scrub the degreaser into the engine. Rinse the engine with water or a pressure washer and let it dry.

What is the best degreaser to clean an engine?

To determine which engine degreaser is best for you, there are a few factors to look at. Overall, the Simple Green engine degreaser is best for the average user. But if you need something more powerful, you should look at Chemical Guys CLD_201_16.

Should you degrease your engine?

It depends, the benefits of using an engine degreaser is that it will be much more pleasant to work with the vehicle. By removing oil and grease, you also reduce the risk of an engine fire. However, removing the grease also leaves the engine more exposed to rust.

How long should an engine degreaser sit?

Generally, you should let an engine degreaser sit for 5 to 15 minutes. However, it really depends on the specific degreaser you’re using. Some are meant to be left on for a few minutes while others should be left to work for an hour or so. In general, you should always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using any kind of engine degreaser.

Now that you know a little more about the best engine degreasers out there, what to look for, and when to use them, it’s up to you to decide if they’re worth it for you. We hope you enjoyed our best engine degreaser review.

If you think it’s something you’ll use at some point or another it’s a good idea to get some on order now, that way you’re not scrambling when you actually do need it!

Categories: Cleaning & Detailing, Reviews